Amazing Novelty-Orium & Mechanical Museum in Skelmersdale, England

The Amazing Novelty-Orium & Mechanical Museum is the creation of Darren Hesketh.  While he was growing up, Hesketh started working on restoring coin-operated mechanical amusement machines and other such antique mechanical devices as a hobby.  This led him to a career focused on restoring these machines, which has included displaying these restored machines in various locations across Northwest England and writing a book about the history of these machines.  The Amazing Novelty-Orium, which opened in 2025, potentially represents one of Hesketh’s greatest ventures.

Located inside the Concourse Shopping Centre in Skelmersdale, England, the museum features a broad range of the vintage machines restored by Darren Hesketh.  A large fraction of the machines are decades-old novelty animated mechanisms that move accompanied by music or that re-enact some sort of silent story.  A few of the other machines are hand-cranked kinetoscopes that play silent movies or mechanical coin-operated games.  The oldest machines date back to the nineteenth century, while the newest restored mechanically animated machine is from 1971.  Virtually all of the machines are fully functional, so visitors can not only look at and admire the devices but also operate them.

Aside from the restored machines, an additional tall homemade robot-like machine stands near the front of the museum, and multiple custom-made devices that feature optical illusions sit in a space in the back.  A collection of old signs from British beachside resorts, vintage postcards, and other decorations line the walls throughout the space.  Overall, this visually stimulating space will appeal both to children, who will simply enjoy the entertainment, and to adults, who will marvel at the technical sophistication of these antique amusements.